COMPANY TOWN

Warner Music to Hire London Exec

Time Warner's Warner Music Group is about to hire former PolyGram Music Group President Roger Ames to fill a high-level post at Warner's international music division, sources said. The deal to bring Ames and his London Records label into the Warner fold is expected to be completed within weeks.

As a Warner International executive, Ames would report to Ramon Lopez, longtime chairman of the media giant's international music arm. Sources said Ames has yet to work out arrangements to leave Seagram's Universal Music Group, which inherited London last year after it purchased PolyGram. But Warner is expected to end up distributing all recordings released by London International and may purchase the label in the future, sources said.

Ames is also in discussions to combine London's U.S. division with Warner's Sire Records label, a plan under which Sire chief Seymour Stein would take on a key role at the company. Ames could not be reached for comment, and representatives of Warner Music Group declined to discuss the matter.